Curse

Kodiaxe · May 06, 2005, 10:36 AM // 10:36

I didnt play any of the Beta's and started playing a monk when i picked up GW. Currently i am a level 11 Mo/Ne. My thought was to go with a three attribute build Divine Favors, Healing and Curses. I have found that some of the life stealing abilities of the curse spells have helped me to stay alive in PVP while doing damage but im not really convinced that the Necro was a good choice for a secondary profession. If any of you have had experience playing this type combo i would appreciate some suggestions. AT this point i am even considering going with a new toon and picking a different secondary. Thanks.

Ignotus · May 08, 2005, 09:27 AM // 09:27

I have a "basic" question. How do you turn an enchantment OFF? I can't figure it out. I've right and left clicked the buff icon but it won't shut it off.
EDIT:
Nevermind. I finally found the friggin' icon to turn it off. The damned chat window was covering it up.

Tam Amberdel · May 09, 2005, 09:33 AM // 09:33

For the past few days, I've been trying (usually failing) to make a Life bond using monk for the Tombs. But now, I think I've gotten as close as I can to perfecting it.

Class: Monk/Warrior

Attributes:
9 healing prayers
10 protection prayers
11+1 divine favor
4 tactics
Skills:
Blessed Signet
Orison of Healing
Healing Breeze
Shield of Regeneration
"Watch Yourself"
Bonetti's Defense
Life Bond
Balthazar's Spirit
Notes:
This build is made specifically for the Tombs and late game PvE. The goal is to cast Life Bond on all 7 members of your party. Blessed Signet, Balthazar's Spirit, and Life Bond are all necessary to succeed. The others can be optional, but I've found them to be the most efficient.
Once you start the mission, first cast Balthazar's Aura on yourself. Then cast Life bond on as many teammates as you can. Then cast blessed signet to regain energy and finish up the life bonds. When you're done, you'll most likely have -4 energy regen. But with all those enchantments going on, you'll gain 20 energy each time you use blessed signet. More than enough to maintain them if you keep your eyes open.
Once battle begins, Balthazar's Spirit comes into play. For some reason, every time an ally takes damage and half is sent to you, it'll count as a hit on you and give you 1 energy. So now you'll almost constantly have full energy! Go ahead and start healing and shouting.
If you have at least 1 good healing monk supporting you, your group should be able to handle anything thrown at it.
The biggest problems I've run into with this build are break enchantments spells, and massive health/energy degen spells. Hopefully the other monk(s) on your team can handle this crisis.
Many times a swarm of melee guys will come after you. All your other spells should be able to keep em off you. I've found Bonetti's Defense and Watch Yourself to be perfect skills for when that happens.

Hope you have fun with your monk!

Shaubarak · May 10, 2005, 04:41 AM // 04:41

It's a real shame the essence bond/life bond combo doesn't work anymore...

I use a build very similar to Tam's, with a few differences.

Here's my setup:
10+2 protection prayers
10+1 healing
11+2 divine favour

Divine Boon
Blessed Signet
Life Bond
Balthazar's spirit
healing touch
orison of healing
reversal of fortune
mark of protection (E)

Life bond here is mainly used for energy generation and not for defense, the healing power comes from booned RoF/Orison. A huge problem with this build is that the energy gain is conditional, it relies on teammates being hit constantly to keep my energy up. There's no time to cast blessed signet in a heated battle, and energy gain from that really doesn't cut it. Works best when a teammate is under fire from warriors.

Trueheart · May 10, 2005, 08:31 PM // 20:31

Just curious, one of the top posts lists Heal Other as being Ascalon City..
I got it early on with my Ranger/Monk without realising, but am now looking for it for my Monk.
Anyone know what quest it's a reward for please? I am in Yak's now.

lana · May 11, 2005, 02:16 AM // 02:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kodiaxe

I have found that some of the life stealing abilities of the curse spells have helped me to stay alive in PVP while doing damage but im not really convinced that the Necro was a good choice for a secondary profession. If any of you have had experience playing this type combo i would appreciate some suggestions. AT this point i am even considering going with a new toon and picking a different secondary. Thanks.

I'm curious about this, too. I'm thinking the monk's and necro's abilities would complement really well (hex and heal!) but wouldn't that run into some serious energy issues? Or perhaps a smiting monk/necro would be a better choice rather than a healing or protection monk/necro combination. I haven't gotten the game yet though so I can't try it out.

I think the most basic combination for healing/support monks is with an elem to help with the energy requirements. But what about dishing out damage ;D

The Fox · May 11, 2005, 02:23 AM // 02:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaubarak

It's a real shame the essence bond/life bond combo doesn't work anymore...

What combo was your refering to here?

dabagboy · May 11, 2005, 05:11 PM // 17:11

you can also double click it

Shaubarak · May 13, 2005, 12:44 AM // 00:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Fox

What combo was your refering to here?

One monk (usually a w/mo) would cast life bond on a few high-priority targets, while the mo/x and x/mo would cast essence bond on him. Every time somene with life bond took damage from an attack, essence bond would trigger and net the others energy. Doesn't work anymore now that essence bond only triggers on physical damage.

*edit* Nevermind, they didn't change it and the combo still works. Just tested it today and am happy it's still around

Neo-LD · May 18, 2005, 02:51 AM // 02:51

there are a lot of mo/wa builds posted here. I ran across a clever pvp tactic, and its always good to have original ideas floating around so Ill share.

There was a mo/wa from the enemy team sitting slightly back from the main combat. In accordance with our teams strategy, we sent our lovable warrior to go try and take 'em out. However, when the warrior caught up with the monk (sprint) the monk switched weapon sets and hamstring-ed our warrior!

Our guy was very confused, and didnt quite know what to do now that he couldnt chase down the monk. I forget who won and all that, it was a week ago or somethin.

I dont know exactly what his build was, but it must have incorperated at some substantial sword mastery to hamstring our guy for almost 10 seconds. Not sure if its worth the points, but it was certainly a neat trick.

Anariel · May 18, 2005, 06:21 AM // 06:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neo-LD

I dont know exactly what his build was, but it must have incorperated at some substantial sword mastery to hamstring our guy for almost 10 seconds. Not sure if its worth the points, but it was certainly a neat trick.

Hmm, what about the situations when like 3 warriors gang up on a monk? I think that frozen burst as mentioned earlier also slows for 10 seconds and is an aoe effect. I think hamstring is nice but the warrior could always sprint... then again the monk/warrior could sprint as well... interesting. :P

Serpreme · May 22, 2005, 01:13 AM // 01:13

Well personally i am having fun with MO/W.
I have Ressurect Healing Breeze Shielding hands and Vitality and Mending for monk skills and warrior i have Cyclone Penetrating blow and wild blow.
Thos allow me to stay in fighting and take hits for awhile in a fight. If its a prolonged fight like anyone else i get int rouble but overall the extra 150 or so HP from vitality mending + breeze and shielding hands make me hard to stop.
**Edit,in light of some videos i was,i've decided to change up for Healing Hands,with Shielding hands and Healing hands together,that gives me about 20 seconds of not being touched by anyone or any damage. this should provide a better way to farm my guy then anything else.

Jarlaxe · Jun 09, 2005, 03:29 PM // 15:29

i wish to know which class is best in pvp for monk second. All in all im healer only - i took mesmer and its quite cool coz i heal and sometimes cast blackfire to prevend other monks from healing.

I was wondering what i can get if my second class will be fighter? Better Armor? Better HP?

Maybe there is other better way to make monk to pvp. I wish to say once more second class for monk PvP. And i wish to heal most time and stay alive as long as i can.

Thx for help

Inacurate · Jun 09, 2005, 03:45 PM // 15:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jarlaxe

i wish to know which class is best in pvp for monk second. All in all im healer only - i took mesmer and its quite cool coz i heal and sometimes cast blackfire to prevend other monks from healing.

I was wondering what i can get if my second class will be fighter? Better Armor? Better HP?

Maybe there is other better way to make monk to pvp. I wish to say once more second class for monk PvP. And i wish to heal most time and stay alive as long as i can.

Thx for help

Honestly, it really depends on YOUR playing style. Depends on what other professions and skills the rest of your team is bringing to the fight.

You already specified for PvP fighting, but the problem is you rarely know what to expect from the other team. Sure, you can make estimated guesses on what skills they are bringing, but unless you know no one skill is wholely better than another. Each has their usefulness, some just more than others.

I am a MonkEl, with nothing into my Elemantist stats at all, so I consider myself a Pure Monk. Now, depending on what kind of PvP battle I am heading into, I will either be ALL heal or protection. If I have another Monk on the team, maybe I will bring bane signet, just to annoy an attacking player! :P

I think the Monk is in itself two seperate classes. You have Healing Prayers, Smiting Prayers, Protection Prayers and Divine Favor.

To be a very decent healer, you load up HP and DF.
To be an OK healer, with a few damage protection spells, you raise HP and keep PP and DF near the same.
To be taken as a serious damage dealing Monk, you Max SP and drop everything else into PP.
To be protect people from damage and heal them at the same time, max PP and DF.

Who needs a second class, we have to worry about enough as it is!

Inac

Shoddy · Jun 09, 2005, 05:27 PM // 17:27

I think most anything can have some use as a Monk secondary, often by giving some defensive skills. Warriors and rangers have things like bonnetti's defense and dryder's defense, ele has ward against foes so you can run away as well as earth magic and blinding skills, plus glyph of lesser energy. Necro has some nice energy repleneshing skills (see FI Boon premade pvp char). I use a mesmer secondary myself for skills like Hex Breaker (can confuse novice enemy mesmers), signet of midnight (helps alot against poor teams in 4v4 with one warrior, but uses the elite slot), mantra of lightning, and various energy replenishing skills (though I can't seem to use Chanelling to great effect, and Energy Tap has a painfully long cast).

For 8v8, I think its best to specialize than to try to be both defensive and offensive. If you're carrying Backfire, I think it's going to be hard to use it effectively in a healing mindset unless you're an exceptionally aware player. Best to stick to things that keep you alive, keep your friends alive, or give you energy to do those previous two things with other skills. As a healer, you'll probably need to carry Heal Other, a 5 point heal or two, a self heal, a condition removal or two, possibly a hex removal, maybe an energy skill and maybe a defensive skill. Not much room left for offensive skills even if you have the speed and awareness to use them well.

Casonetto · Jun 12, 2005, 03:08 AM // 03:08

Should monks use a melee weapon rather than a wand?

theclam · Jun 12, 2005, 05:42 AM // 05:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Casonetto

Should monks use a melee weapon rather than a wand?

Why? I try to be as far from the enemy as possible. Using a melee weapon would not be beneficial. Plus, there are better Monk mods on wands and staves than on melee weapons. (This is moot for me, anyway, since I'm using Peace and Harmony right now).

Inacurate · Jun 12, 2005, 01:05 PM // 13:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by theclam

Why? I try to be as far from the enemy as possible. Using a melee weapon would not be beneficial. Plus, there are better Monk mods on wands and staves than on melee weapons. (This is moot for me, anyway, since I'm using Peace and Harmony right now).

The above is right on.

As a Monk, you want to use every advantage to help you in your healing / smiting / protection as possible. Wands do that. Give you more energy, help skills recharge or cast faster. More armor, or health.

On the flip side, if you are a Monk and the melee weapon is going to help one of your second profession SPECIFIC skills that you are using, you may find it beneficial to perhaps keep this weapon in your inventory and quick swap to it when you go to use this skill and then back to your wand.

It all really does depend on how you want to play your character, as I have said many times before.

Inac

Esprit · Jun 13, 2005, 07:46 PM // 19:46

I've been working on a Monk/Necromancer build, that's been turning out to be quite effective. I am at work, so I don't have all the specifics. I'll edit in those later.

But I will be primary a healer, having most points in Healing and Divine favor. I use the Necromancer skills (Blood Magic) to heal myself and damage the enemy at the same time. Using Life Siphon and Parastic Bond at the beginning of a battle on 2 or three enemies, currently, as level 9 Monk/Necro I can get -3 health degeneration on them. So even if I am getting hit, I have the Life Siphon and Parasitic Bond healing me. They both have low Energy requirements and fast recharge times that I am usually always healed. And since neither are enchantments on myself, those spells that break enchantments have no effect on me.

So, while I am healing myself constantly, I can focus healing skills on my other party.

It works out because I don't really need to run from battle or heal myself with healing spells if it starts getting rough.

Sometimes I even go into the middle of the battle to get the focus on me because the necro skills are always healing me.

So, if I am ever surrounded, I can cast Healing Wind for the healing, and then cast Life Siphon and Parasitic Bond while I keep my health up with Healing Wind, and hopefully by that time, the rest of my party will have killed a couple enemies.

Casonetto · Jun 17, 2005, 06:27 PM // 18:27

I am looking for a really good monk build. I heard Mo/Me was good but I already have 2 characters with mesmer as a secondary so I was trying to avoid that.